RAYE Reflects on Hope, Healing and Music at the Grammy Museum
Review and photos by Courtney Carmichael
Vidoes by Caroline Isaac
I was introduced to Raye’s music, and specifically her newest album This Music May Contain Hope, by one of my best friends. She and I are both sadly grieving the loss of our mothers recently, and Raye’s music has just spoken to us in a way that has made us feel there truly is some hope in such profound sadness. So, when she asked me if I wanted to go to An Evening With Raye at the Grammy Museum, there was not a shred of hesitation - YES, 1000000% yes. It was going to be my first time seeing her and how can you even top that?
When we lined up before the show, there were only two things we and our fellow Raye fans were certain of, that there would be an interview and a performance. But none of us knew exactly what to expect, we just knew the night would be incredibly special.
The setting was stunning. A stage set up on the rooftop of the Grammy Museum, called the Ray Charles Terrace. The Downtown LA skyline as the backdrop. It felt incredibly special, surreal, and unique to be sitting there in that moment in time, knowing we were about to hear Raye speak about her music and perform some of her songs.
The interview portion was moderated by the CEO of The Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr. He arrived on stage with a stack of question cards in hand and introduced our Winter Woman herself, Raye. He asked her a series of questions about her upbringing, family, inspirations, her writing process, how song titles lead to songs, experiences in the industry, being an independent artist, and how her collabs with the legendary Hans Zimmer and the iconic, soulful Al Green came about.
She spoke about some of her painful past experiences and there may not have been a dry eye in the room when she got choked up briefly while speaking about her song, Ice Cream Man. With her characteristic grace, Raye explained that her feelings have evolved since then, and she has successfully reclaimed her power from the very pain that inspired the song. That writing that and getting it out allowed her the cathartic energy to feel strength in herself again.
She spoke of her family, and especially her love for her sisters, Amma and Absolutely. She is magic in the way she candidly speaks about her feelings in the rawest, most relatable way. How she let herself fully feel what she was feeling while writing and recording This Music May Contain Hope.
Her “potential waffling” is where we find ourselves no choice but to fall even more in love with Raye, from her storytelling, humor, to how she doesn’t take herself so seriously, and also way too seriously at times. It’s like that sometimes, darling.
Her performance portion kicked off after the interview and if I could bottle up that feeling and hold onto it forever, I would. She began by singing the fan beloved Suzanne. Her chic red pumps only lasting about ten whole seconds into her performance before she went barefoot as she loves to do while performing. I’ll add the complete performance setlist below and some final thoughts after, but she is a one-of-a-kind artist the world is so incredibly lucky to have.
Full setlist:
Suzanne
Worth It
Cry Me A River (cover - Julie London, Ella Fitzgerald)
Goodbye Henry (the song she released with Al Green)
It’s A Man’s World (cover - James Brown)
Happier Times Ahead
Escapism (neo-soul version)
If you get the chance to see her, do it. She’s one of those artists, a once in a generation vocal powerhouse, a genre-bending creative, lyrical storyteller, with a vibrato that could bring us mere mortals to our knees. She isn’t just performing, she’s making history - don’t just listen to her, WITNESS her.
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